Spring clip rack

ABSTRACT

A display rack for supporting packaged articles that is constructed from easily assembled components. A plurality of article clamps mounted on the rack which hold the packaged articles in two ways; (1) by resiliently clamping a portion of the package between two adjacent coils of a spring and (2) by impaling the clamped portion on a pointed member.

taes tet [72] Inventor Isadore J. Filler Atlanta, Ga. 21 App]. No. 775 7 [22] Filed Jan. 5, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 [7 3] Assignee 1. .1. Filler Enterprises, Inc.

Atlanta, Ga.

[54] SPRING CLIP RACK 1 1 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

52 us. ca 211 120, 24/261, 211/59, 211/162 [51] 1111. C1 "11441121100, A471 7/00 [50] Field 01' Search 211/120, 69.8, 59, 54, 49,177,148, 57, 6,162;248/468, 316.5, 316, 95, 101, 204, 223; 24/261, 103

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 312,742 211885 Meinhardt 211/120 Moore 211/69.8 Bostrom. 211/120 Bailey..... 248/204 Miller..... 24/103 Henn 248/360 Mocnik 248/468 Dudley 211/59 Appel..... 248/223 X Hansen 24/ 103 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman ABSTRACT: A display rack for supporting packaged articles that is constructed from easily assembled components. A plurality of article clamps mounted on the rack which hold the packaged articles in two ways; (1) by resiliently clamping a portion of the package between two adjacent coils of a spring and (2) by impaling the clamped portion on a pointed member,

PATENTEDUB 19 197i v SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR [94000: i 54/. 8 sy g fimw ATTORNEYS .PATENTEBUCTISIS?! 3,613,897

' v SHEET 20F 2 I ll INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WZZZZZZW SPRING CLIP RACK This invention relates to rack for displaying and dispensing packaged articles, especially articles which have been packaged in flexible envelopes.

Articles such as potato chips, corn chips, nuts, crackers, candies, other edible and nonedible goods, which are commonly packaged in flexible envelopes made from various materials, come in various sizes and shapes. These packaged articles are placed on display racks in stores, restaurants, and otherplaces where these articles are sold.

It is desirable that these racks be placed in convenient, prominent places in stores so that the display will be easy for the consumers and store personnel to reach and fill while being of such a configuration as to catch the eye of the consumer.

I and shape of the packaged articles to be held by the display rack. Also, the space available for display varies from store to store, making a display rack which is adjustable in shape and configuration desirable.

Since labor costs occupy a large portion of the expenses in operating the store or restaurant, it is important to have a display rack from which the consumer himself selects the items he wants without requiring assistance from store personnel and to have a rack which is quick and easy to fill thus keeping the amount of time required for store personnel to till the rack to minimum.

It is the object of this invention to provide a display dispensing rack for packaged articles which can be assembled to fit the size and volume requirements of each store.

Another object of this invention is to provide a display and dispensing rack which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

A further object of this invention is to provide a display and dispensing rack which is quick and easy to fill with merchandise.

Another object of this invention is to provide a display and dispensing rack from which it is easy for the consumer to remove the desired articles without disturbing other articles on the rack.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the attached drawings of the preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein:

FIG. I is a front elevation view of the display and dispensing rack according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view indicated by the line 2-2 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view indicated by line 33 on FIG. I;

FIG. 41 is a side elevation view of the channel member with the spring member inserted within the channel;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view showing the spring member in the open position for receiving packaged articles;

FIG. 6 is the side elevation view showing the spring member in a closed position supporting packaged articles; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view illustrating another configuration of the present invention.

The display and dispensing rack in the present invention is constructed in the form of a stand which rests on a flat planar surface and can be assembled into numerous ditferent shapes and configurations to fit the available space. Coil spring type article clamps are resiliently attached to the frame of the stand and can be positioned on the stand to accommodate different sizes of packaged articles. These clamps attach the articles to the rack in a dual method by both resiliently clamping and piercing the upper tab of the packaged article.

Referring initially to FIG. I there is shown one configuration of my invention in which a display stand I is shown being assembled from article clamps 6, bases 3, and the frame which consists of vertical members 2 and horizontal members 4 and 5. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. I illustrates a rack with three sets of vertical members and two sets of horizontal members and since all the parts used to assemble my rack lock together in a manner to be later described, the size and shape of the rack may be varied by adding or removing horizontal and/or vertical members to form different configurations.

In FIG. 3 the cross-sectional shape of the vertical members 2 is shown as being of I-beam configuration with a central web 16 connecting the end portions 117. Each end portion 117 has two flanges I5 which extend toward the center of the member and parallel to the central web 16 to form an opening 23. This central web 16 along with the end portions l7 and the flanges l5 define two grooves 18 which extend along the length of the vertical member 2.

The bases 3 are constructed from flat sheet material and have an outstanding tongue 8 mounted at a right angle thereto. In FIG. 2 one of the tongues 8 is shown fitting into the end of the slot I8 of the vertical member 2 to attach the base to the vertical member. A locking tab 9 can be provided in the tongue 8 in alignment with and for locking engagement in a hole 10 through the central web 16 of the vertical member 2. This locking tab prevents the base 3 from separating from the ends of the vertical member 2 when the display stand is lifted.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 lower horizontal members 4 are constructed from flat sheet material, having two tongue members 19 on each end extending perpendicularly from the horizontal member and of similar construction to the tongue members 8 of the base 3. These two tongues l9 have been inserted respectively into the upper end of the slot 18 of the vertical member 2 and the lower end of the corresponding slot of upper vertical member 2. Each of the tongues I9 is provided with a locking tab 20 for locking engagement in hole 110. In this manner horizontal members 43 connect horizontally spaced vertical members 7 and also interconnect vertical members one above the other.

Each end of the upper horizontal members 5 is provided with a tongue 21 extending perpendicularly from the respective end for insertion into the slots 18 at the upper end of the top vertical members. Each of these tongues is constructed similar to tongue member 8 and is provided with locking tabs 22 which lock into the holes 10 in the vertical members 2.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 article clamps 6 can be seen as being a helical wire tension spring Ill. The wire at one end of the spring is straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of the spring and its tip is sharpened to form a piercing point 12. The opposite end of the spring has its last turn bent outwardly at an angle of approximately I35 from the axis of the helical spring body II to form an integral spreading tab 7 used in opening the spring to insert articles for storage. The article clamp 6 is attached to the stand by inserting the innermost turn M of the spring wire I1 into the slot Id of the vertical member 2 so that the flanges 15 are gripped between the inserted turn and the turn of the wire adjacent to it and the clamp 6 extends out the opening 23. By attaching the clamp in this manner, the clamp can be variably positioned on the vertical member to accommodate various sizes of articles, simply by sliding the clamp to the desired position on the vertical member.

In FIG. 6 article clamps are shown as being inserted in slots I8 of opposite sides of the vertical members 2 thus doubling the capacity of the stand.

Once the stand is assembled and ready for use the packaged articles can be clamped into position in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The helical spring body 111 of the article clamp may be opened by pressing the spreading tab 7 as shown in FIG. 5 and while one hand is holding the article clamp in the open position, the other hand is free to insert the upper end of a cellophane bag 13 into the coil of the spring body I ll.

By releasing the pressure on the spring tab 7 the spring body Ill closes holding the bag 113 resiliently between the adjacent coils while the piercing tong I2 punctures the upper end of the bag 13.

It can be seen that the bags 13 are held by this clamp in two separate ways: one, resilient contact between the adjacent coils of the spring body II frictionally holds the upper end of the bag, and two, the upper tab has been pierced by the tong l2 and held impaled on the tong by the spring. Some bags are provided with holes in their upper sealing tab, so that the bag can be supported by inserting a pin into the hole. With this type bag it will be unnecessary to pierce the tab in attaching the bag to the rack because the tong 12 can be inserted in the provided hole to support the bag. With conventional article holding clamps it has been hard for the consumer to remove the desired number of bags from the display rack due to the fact that when one bag is removed another would fall from the rack. By using two separate means of holding the bag in the present invention the bags can be easily removed one at a time without disturbing the other bags on the rack.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate configuration of the present invention in which only one vertical member 2 is used. This configuration could be used in stores in which a small volume of merchandise is sold and where the larger stand would take up space needed to display other articles.

The detailed description of the particular embodiment of the present invention illustrated and described herein should not be construed as limiting the invention thereto; the invention includes all features of patentable novelty residing in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

l. A display rack for flexible bags containing articles, comprising a base for supporting said rack on a level planar surface, said base having a flat surface for contacting said planar surface, an upstanding tongue extending away from said flat surface and a right angles thereto, vertical members attached to said base members to provide the vertical structure for said rack, said vertical members having grooves extending along opposite sides, said tongues being inserted in said grooves to support said vertical members in an upright position, flanges on said vertical members covering a portion of said grooves and extending along the length of said grooves, lower horizontal members interconnecting said vertical members together, two tongue members on each end of said lower horizontal members extending in opposite directions and at right angles thereto, one of said tongues at each end of said horizontal member fitting in one of said grooves at the upper ends of two vertical members to interconnect horizontally spaced vertical members, the other two tongues on said lower horizontal member being inserted into said groove at the lower ends of the upper pair of horizontally spaced vertical members to interconnect one above the other, upper horizontal members for interconnecting the upper end of said upper vertical members and having a tongue at each end extending downward at right angles to the length of said member, said downward extending tongues being inserted into the upper end of said grooves in said upper vertical members to interconnect the horizontally spaced upper members, a helical spring article clamp with contacting adjacent turns which attaches to said vertical members, the turns of said spring being of a diameter which is greater than the distance between the flanges on said groove but which is smaller than the width of said groove, the bottom turn of one end of said spring being inserted into the groove so that said flanges are clamped between the bottom turn and adjacent turns to resiliently attach said article clamp to said vertical member, a tab on the other end of said spring for spreading the adjacent turns of said spring so that portions of said bags may be inserted between adjacent turns and will be resiliently clamped between adjacent turns when said spring is in an unspread position, comprising the last turn of said spring bent away from the spring at an obtuse angle with the axis of said spring, an extension of said bottom turn of said spring being straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring and said extension having its end sharpened to form a point for impaling said bag portions held between adjacent turns of said helical spring member.

2. A self-service display device for articles packaged in flexible bags comprising, a frame, article clamps having one end attached to said frame and having a free end spaced therefrom, said article clamps including spring means for individually resilientl clampin a portion of each of said flexible bags and a sha like mem er disposed to extend through said spring means in the direction of said free end, said shaftlike member having a fixed end adjacent said one end of said clamp and a pointed end adjacent said free end thereof whereby said shaftlike member will extend through a portion of each of the resiliently clamped bags.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said resilient clamping means is a helical spring which can independently clamp portions of each of said bags between adjacent turns of said spring.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said shaftlike member is located in the center of said helical spring and extends from said one end of each of said clamps axially through said spring in the direction of said free end.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said shaftlike member is an extension of one end of said helical spring which is straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring with the free end of said member forming a piercing point.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said helical spring has means for spreading the adjacent coils of said spring.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said spreading means is the last turn of said helical spring bent at an angle from the axis of said helical spring.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein manual unclamping means are provided for said article clamps.

9. A display rack as claimed in claim 2 wherein one turn of said helical spring has at one end thereof an extension portion which is straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring in the direction of said free end so that said spring resiliently and independently clamps a portion of each of said flexible bags between adjacent turns and holds said portions impaled on said extension.

10. A display rack for flexible bags containing articles, comprising a frame, said frame having a groove, helical spring type article clamps, one turn of each of said springs adjacent one end thereof sliding in said groove, the other end of each of said springs defining a free end spaced from said frame, said one turn having an extended end straight ended and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring in the direction of said free end so that said spring resiliently independently clamps a portion of each of said flexible bags between adjacent turns and holds said portions impaled on said extended end.

11. A display rack as claimed in claim 10 wherein at least one flange is provided on said frame in front of said frame, positioned so that said one turn of said helical spring type article clamp slides into said groove and resiliently clamps said flange between said one turn and the adjacent turn on said spring.

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1. A display rack for flexible bags containing articles, comprising a base for supporting said rack on a level planar surface, said base having a flat surface for contacting said planar surface, an upstanding tongue extending away from said flat surface and a right angles thereto, vertical members attached to said base members to provide the vertical structure for said rack, said vertical members having grooves extending along opposite sides, said tongues being inserted in said grooves to support said vertical members in an upright position, flanges on said vertical members covering a portion of said grooves and extending along the length of said grooves, lower horizontal members interconnecting said vertical members together, two tongue members on each end of said lower horizontal members extending in opposite directions and at right angles thereto, one of said tongues at each end of said horizontal member fitting in one of said grooves at the upper ends of two vertical members to interconnect horizontally spaced vertical members, the other two tongues on said lower horizontal member being inserted into said groove at the lower ends of the upper pair of horizontally spaced vertical members to interconnect one above the other, upper horizontal members for interconnecting the upper end of said upper vertical members and having a tongue at each end extending downward at right angles to the length of said member, said downward extending tongues being inserted into the upper end of said grooves in said upper vertical members to interconnect the horizontally spaced upper members, a helical spring article clamp with contacting adjacent turns which attaches to said vertical members, the turns of said spring being of a diameter which is greater than the distance between the flanges on said groove but which is smaller than the width of said groove, the bottom turn of one end of said spring being inserted into the groove so that said flanges are clamped between the bottom turn and adjacent turns to resiliently attach said article clamp to said vertical member, a tab on the other end of said spring for spreading the adjacent turns of said spring so that portions of said bags may be inserted between adjacent turns and will be resiliently clamped between adjacent turns when said spring is in an unspread position, comprising the last turn of said spring bent away from the spring at an obtuse angle with the axis of said spring, an extension of said bottom turn of said spring being straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring and said extension having its end sharpened to form a point for impaling said bag portions held between adjacent turns of said helical spring member.
 2. A self-service display device for articles packaged in flexible bags comprising, a frame, article clamps having one end attached to said frame and having a free end spaced therefrom, said article clamps including spring means for individually resiliently clamping a portion of each of said flexible bags and a shaftlike member disposed to extend through said spring means in the direction of said free end, said shaftlike member having a fixed end adjacent said one end of said clamp and a pointed end adjacent said free end thereof whereby said shaftlike member will extend through a portion of each of the resiliently clamped bags.
 3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said resilient clamping means is a helical spring which can independently clamp portions of each of said bags between adjacent turns of said spring.
 4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said shaftlike member is located in the center of said helical spring and extends from said one end of each of said clamps axially through said spring in the direction of said free end.
 5. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said shaftlike member is an extension of one end of said helical spring which is straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring with the free end of said member forming a piercing point.
 6. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said helical spring has means for spreading the adjacent coils of said spring.
 7. Apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said spreading means is the last turn of said helical spring bent at an angle from the axis of said helical spring.
 8. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein manual unclamping means are provided for said article clamps.
 9. A display rack as claimed in claim 2 wherein one turn of said helical spring has at one end thereof an extension portion which is straightened and bent to extend through and axially along the center of said spring in the direction of said free end so that said spring resiliently and independently clamps a portion of each of said flexible bags between adjacent turns and holds said portions impaled on said extension.
 10. A display rack for flexible bags containing articles, comprising a frame, said frame having a groove, helical spring type article clamps, one turn of each of said springs adjacent one end thereof sliding in said groove, the other end of each of said springs defining a free end spaced from said frame, said one turn having an extended end straight ended and bent to exTend through and axially along the center of said spring in the direction of said free end so that said spring resiliently independently clamps a portion of each of said flexible bags between adjacent turns and holds said portions impaled on said extended end.
 11. A display rack as claimed in claim 10 wherein at least one flange is provided on said frame in front of said frame, positioned so that said one turn of said helical spring type article clamp slides into said groove and resiliently clamps said flange between said one turn and the adjacent turn on said spring. 